A 'realistic' doll for children has gone on sale, complete with acne, cellulite and stretch marks.

Lammily was created as an alternative to Barbie's disproportionate body by artist and researcher Nickolay Lamm.

He wanted his doll to be a realistic representation of women and so based Lammily on the average measurements of a 19-year-old woman in the States.

Children can then customise their Lammily with marks commonly found on bodies of all shapes and sizes, including freckles, stretch marks, acne, moles, cellulite, and blushing cheeks for when Lammily is 'embarrassed, shy, or anxious'.

Children can also adorn the doll with stitches, scrapes and scratches, bruises, scars, mosquito bites, grass, dirt stains and even a cast featured in the pack. Temporary tattoos and blue, thick-rimmed glasses are also included.

Lammily stands at 10.72 inches tall, wears toned-down outfits and make-up and – unlike pointy-footed Barbie - has bendy joints so she can walk, run and play.

It will go on sale in the US in January for $6 (£4).

According to the Huffington Post, an estimated 50 to 90 percent of women will develop stretch marks, and over 90 percent of women have cellulite somewhere on their bodies.

Acne is also very common, with an estimated 80 percent of people experiencing an outbreak between the ages of 11 and 30.

Mr Lammy said he was inspired to make the doll after he saw US popstar Demi Lovato tweet that she wanted a doll with cellulite.

He said: "I want to show that having things like acne, cellulite, stretchmarks, are all normal things to have. [They're] nothing to be ashamed about. Real is cool.

"I just feel that in toy stores there's a wall of supermodel-like dolls (not that there's anything wrong with being a supermodel). But if there's a doll which looks like typical people, it's saying that it's okay to look real and not like a supermodel.

"I personally feel other dolls on the market are great products, I'm just trying to make an alternative."

However, Lammily has been criticised for not being realistic enough.

Writing on Ravishly.com, Nikki Gloudeman said: "If this doll were real, she would fit right into the pages of Cosmo, or on a Fashion Week catwalk. This is not a 'normal' doll; this is a skinny doll that's not quite as skinny as Barbie. Sticking a scar sticker on her sexy midriff as a way to make her seem even more 'normal' is an offensive and insincere stab at body positivity that hasn't been earned."